Key facts
- A final appeals court in England is set to rule on a human rights case challenging Trinidad and Tobago's laws against gay sex.
- The case was filed by Jason Jones, who argues that colonial-era "buggery" laws are unconstitutional.
- The laws, which prohibit gay sex, carry a potential prison sentence of up to five years.
- Trinidad and Tobago's government, along with religious organizations, opposes the challenge.
- The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London will hear the case, with activists across the Caribbean closely watching the outcome.
A nearly decade-long legal battle over gay rights in Trinidad and Tobago is reaching its climax as England's final appeals court prepares to rule on the constitutionality of the nation's colonial-era laws prohibiting gay sex. The case, brought by Jason Jones, argues that these "buggery" laws are discriminatory and violate human rights, carrying potential prison sentences of up to five years.
Jones, who left Trinidad and Tobago in 1996 due to homophobic violence, contends that criminalizing consensual same-sex relations infringes upon the rights of individuals in a secular society. He asserts that such laws perpetuate stigma, fear, and exclusion, particularly impacting young people forming their identities and seeking support.
The Trinidad and Tobago government, however, is opposing the challenge, with support from religious organizations including the Council of Evangelical Churches and the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha. The case has navigated through various judicial levels since its inception in 2017, with the High Court initially ruling the laws unconstitutional in 2018, followed by a partial reversal by a local appeals court in March 2025. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, comprising five judges, will now deliver the final verdict, which is being closely monitored across the Caribbean due to its potential to set a precedent for the region.